Help! Kimber thumb safety failure

[Idaho]

I just bought a "like new" Kimber Pro Carry (NOT a Series II). It appears to have been shot very little. I field stripped it, cleaned and lubed, and reassembled. I then was dry firing it, and accidently tried to dry fire with the thumb safety still engaged. CLICK! The hammer FELL and the thumb safety dropped with it! Dumbfounded I thought "that can't be" and tried again. Same result every time.

The grip safety works (if not depressed, I cannot pull the trigger), but the thumb safety seems to have NO effect.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is it a simple fix? Do I need a gunsmith?

thanks for your help (I got a good price - perhaps I now know why....)

 

[bountyhunter]

Either the safety or the sear is not fitted right. Definitely needs to be fixed.

 

[boing]

Yes, you need a gunsmith.

Either the gun has been previously "worked on" by someone who screwed it up, or the factory parts are bad. At any rate, something inside is very wrong and the whole thing should be gone over with an experienced fine tooth comb: fix the known problem, and inspect for anything else that could be wrong.

 

[Kahr carrier]

YIKES Send it back to Kimber for repairs.

 

[Handgun]

Send it to Kimber or have your dealer send it for you. My dealer sent mine to them and it was back in less than a week and was 100% fixed. My dealer has had as little as three day turnaround on repairs from Kimber.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Sounds like another kitchen table gunsmithing success story. I probably could have done a reasonably good job on my Kimber's trigger, but for less than $50, I tuned it over to a professional who did a really good job.

 

[Idaho]

Yeah, I guess I'll just do the obvious and send it back to Kimber. I am not sure how they will react to someone who didn't buy it new, but I will find out. I got a good price w/ shipping included, so with the shipping to Kimber it just means it will wind up a wash.

I posted here hoping someone might say "Oh, that's easy/common. Just finagle the whooptydoo and it will cure the watchmacallit." No such luck....

 

[CWL]

Happened to me with a brand new Kimber Ultra CDP (series II).

The ambi thumb safety swung like a pendulum. Absolutely useless/unsafe for use.

Took three trips to smiths to fix -as well as the full-auto/slamfire problem.

I for one know that Kimber QC has dropped directly in relation to their growing popularity. They move guns out the door as fast as possible, fix problems after they're discovered by owners.

 

[Waitone]

Send it back to Kimber. The company does not mess around with safety issues on its products.

 

[Idaho]

I spoke w/ a Kimber rep on the phone today. He said they will charge me for the work if someone has done a trigger job on the gun, but otherwise they will cover it under warranty.

Hopefully the seller had accurate info when he told me that, to his knowledge, no one had done any work on it.

I will keep you posted.

 

[Idaho]

Sent the pistol to Kimber on Wednesday of last week. It arrived back in Idaho on Monday of this week (though snafu's w/ UPS delayed delivery until today). Receipt in box says simply "TRIGGER GROUP, ADJUSTED". No charge. Works just dandy now, and I am very impressed by the turn around time. Thumbs up to Kimber customer service.

 

[GSB]

I'm assuming that this isn't a new "trigger actuated decocker"? Just kidding. You're did the right thing.

I guess that's a lesson for all of us: make sure the advertised safety devices actually work as advertised. I'll never forget the post over at TheFiringLine from someone who discovered that the decocker on his pistol discharged the firearm -- every time. Fortunately, he was at the range and obeying the Rules, IIRC.

 

[TarpleyG]

I field stripped it, cleaned and lubed, and reassembled.

You just field stripped, right? No farther? If so, have Kimber look at it. If you took it down to the trigger goup when cleaning, something may have not gotten lined up right when you put it back together.

GT